Old Friends and New Faces
by Trinaluv33
Summary: After the Fourth Doctor regenerates, the new Fifth Doctor and his companions escape The Master, only to be separated by a TARDIS malfunction. Stranded on Earth in the year 2012, The Doctor must rely on strangers to help him through his recent regeneration. However, the Doctor is no stranger to them. 5th DoctorWhump! Amy/Rory/5thDoctor: Only Friendship. Not AU, strangely enough.
1. Prologue

**Summary: After the Fourth Doctor regenerates, the new Fifth Doctor and his companions escape The Master, only to be separated by a TARDIS malfunction. Stranded on Earth in the year 2012, The Doctor must rely on strangers to help him through his recent regeneration. However, the Doctor is no stranger to them. 5th DoctorWhump! Amy/Rory/5thDoctor Not AU, strangely enough.  
**

**Disclaimer: Do you really believe me to be important enough to actually own Doctor Who? If so, I'm a much better actor than I thought. (In other words: No, I don't own Doctor Who, and to Steven Moffat if you ever happen across any of my stories, I love you and your writing. You are brilliant.)  
**

**Spoiler Alert: I make things up as I go along, so there is a large possibility that spoilers may appear. This chapter contains a spoiler for The God Complex. For those who have not yet seen The God Complex, you have been forewarned.  
**

**A/N: Hello! Welcome to my new fanfiction. I am new to the Classic Series, but as soon as I saw the Fifth Doctor, I fell in love. I've been dabbling with different ideas for the fifth Doctor, but this is the only partially good one. This chapter is set sometime after the Doctor drops Amy and Rory off after The God Complex. Enjoy!  
**

_Old Friends and New Faces_

_By Trinaluv33  
_

_~Prologue~  
_

It was a rainy night, dark clouds peeking over the horizon. Thunder boomed in the distance. Amy sat in her kitchen facing the window, nursing a mug of sweet tea. She had awoken sometime during the night and had not been able to fall back to sleep. Rory lay snoring upstairs, not the least bit disturbed by his wife's absence.

Amy snuggled deeper into the TARDIS blue comforter that was wrapped around her. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen- whether it was a good or bad thing, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that things were about to change, and she was afraid. She was afraid of the unknown, of not knowing what evil lay around the corner. It hadn't even been a year since the Doctor dropped Rory and her off, leaving them alone with nothing but a new house and a bright red car. She used to be afraid of Weeping Angels, cracks in walls, and Dalek invasions. Now she fears rising prices in gas, overdue bills, and spoiled milk.

She sighed and dejectedly swirled her tea. Life was so dull nowadays. She couldn't stand it! One more day of this madness, and she would check herself into the nearest insane asylum.

Rory, of course, was loving it. He was back to working at the hospital as a nurse and was highly acclaimed among many of the patients and staff surgeons. He loved having a normal routine, paying bills, and knowing that when he wakes up there isn't any chance of it being three hundred years in the past. And, especially, he loved not having to run. No monsters, no evil warlords, nothing.

Amy hated it, but, to be honest, she wished she didn't. What she wouldn't give to be able to love boring normalcy like Rory did! No matter how much she tried to be happy, she just couldn't. She was the girl who waited, and she was still waiting.

She plastered a phony smile on her face at the sound of Rory's drowsy feet making their way down the stairwell.

"Morning Amy!" Rory greeted cheerily. Amy was unable to wrap her head around the fact that, even at four in the morning, Rory could still be in an overly good mood.

Nevertheless, Amy upheld her disguise and responded in kind. "Morning Rory! Tea's on the stove."

Rory meandered over to the stove and poured himself a cuppa before heading over to sit beside his wife, grabbing a handful of biscuits on the way.

While stuffing his face full of biscuit, Rory began to tell his wife all that his day had in store for him. To Amy's credit, she tried to pay attention. She tried _so _hard, but she soon found herself drifting, trapped in the day dream of wonderful times long since past. _Doctor, please- come back to me._

A resounding crash shook their home, causing Rory to drop his mug of tea, which shattered to a million pieces, hot tea forming a puddle around their unfortunate comrade. The Ponds jumped to their feet, nervously looking at each other. With slow and careful movements, the two made their way towards the large kitchen window. On normal days, the window offered a beautiful view of a small but mature backyard, with a garden and a small shed Rory built to house various gardening tools and other junk that wouldn't fit in their overly-crowded attic. Where that decent wooden shed once stood now lay a TARDIS, smoke billowing from its walls.

Amy grinned, this time for real.

Rory sighed and shook his head. "Here we go again."

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that short teaser, if you will. Chapter 1 will be up soon, and will revolve around the fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan. It will include an alternate end of the episode "Castrovalva," which is the fifth Doctor's first episode, following his regeneration and encounter with the Master.**** I'll try to update soon!  
**

**Please review!  
**

**Luv Trinaluv  
**


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary: After the Fourth Doctor regenerates, the new Fifth Doctor and his companions escape The Master, only to be separated by a TARDIS malfunction. Stranded on Earth in the year 2012, The Doctor must rely on strangers to help him through his recent regeneration. However, the Doctor is no stranger to them. 5th DoctorWhump! Amy/Rory/5thDoctor Not AU, strangely enough.**

**Disclaimer: Do you really believe me to be important enough to actually own Doctor Who? If so, I'm a much better actor than I thought. (In other words: No, I don't own Doctor Who, and to Steven Moffat if you ever happen across any of my stories, I love you and your writing. You are brilliant.)**

**Spoiler Alert: I make things up as I go along, so there is a large possibility that spoilers may appear. This chapter contains, I guess some spoilers for an episode from the Classic Series, "Castrovalva". But, really, SPOILER ALERT: Fourth Doctor regenerates into the Fifth Doctor. Never saw that one coming! :)**

**A/N: Hello again! Wow, it's only been a day and I'm already updating... something must be wrong with me. Anywho! Thanks to my story followers: tiashgwenny, MissAleatory, Velvetpru'd, brahmsviolin, caramelkaren, Lady Idryl(and for favoriting!), ISaidDon'tBlink, MissSarahG1(and for favoriting!)! And, thanks to my sole reviewer, Velvetpru'd! Cybercookies for you! :)**

**This chapter is an alternate ending to Castrovalva, which is the fifth Doctor's first episode, for those who have not seen it. What has happened so far(before I went and messed everything up) is that the Doctor has regenerated(due to being attacked by the evil but awesome Master) and is being helped back to his TARDIS by his companions Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan. There are these officers who try to stop them(I believe they are UNIT soldiers, but I'm not entirely sure.) and they grab Adric. Nyssa, Tegan, and the Doctor make it back to the TARDIS safely, but Adric is still restrained by the officers. In the actual episode, the Master appears in his own TARDIS and weird electricity/lightning shoots out of his TARDIS, knocking the officers unconscious. You'll see where I've altered the episode to work in my story.**

**On with the show!**

_Old Friends and New Faces_

_By Trinaluv33_

_~Chapter 1~_

Adric struggled against the restraints of the officers, catching a glimpse of Nyssa and Tegan supporting the newly-regenerated Doctor as they ran towards the TARDIS. It was painfully obvious that the Doctor was very weak, as he stumbled often, almost dragging the girls down with him. With a burst of strength, Adric elbowed the two officers in the gut and quickly sprinted forward. He heard a thud behind him and felt the sting of electricity in the air. He didn't need to look behind him to know it was the Master's TARDIS. The screams of the officers pierced the air.

Catching up with the girls and the Doctor, Adric urged them to go faster, herding them towards the TARDIS doors. Sweat glistened on the Doctor's forehead, and he was breathing heavily. He couldn't go on much farther. Fortunately, he didn't have to. The four travelers soon reached the door, and Adric shoved the Doctor inside, who immediately collapsed to the floor, trembling slightly. He felt more than saw Nyssa beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and asking him if he was alright. The Doctor couldn't muster enough energy to answer.

Slamming the door shut, Adric raced to the console, pulling levers and switching switches. The tell-tale sound of dematerialization filled the TARDIS, shaking its inhabitants.

Tegan stood beside Adric, looking apprehensive. "Are you sure you can fly this thing?"

"We don't have any choice, Tegan. The Doctor isn't in any condition to be flying the TARDIS, therefore I am the only one who can get us out of here. We need to get to somewhere safe where the Doctor can rest." Adric glanced at the Doctor, who was still huddled weakly on the floor. He was sweating profusely and his trembling had increased. Nyssa was attempting to comfort him, but it didn't look like he was paying attention.

The TARDIS quieted and stilled, indicating it successfully entered the Time Vortex. The Doctor tried to get up, pushing Nyssa away when she tried to push him back down.

"Zero room... must find the zero room," The Doctor swayed dangerously, clutching the console for support. He reached out and grabbed Adric's arm with a vice-like grip. "Jamie. Jamie, help me find the zero room."

Tegan made to correct him, but was quieted by Adric. "Yes, Doctor. I'll help you find the zero room."

Taking the Doctor's arm to help support him, Adric started to guide him out of the control room, but before he could even pass the console, a thundering crash embraced the Time Machine. A dark, maniacal laugh echoed through the TARDIS.

"It's the Master!" Tegan exclaimed, staring at the monitor, which held an image of the evil Time Lord, a crooked smile plastered on his face.

Another violent quake shook the TARDIS. Adric lost his grip on the Doctor, who tumbled into the door, his head's collision with the metal frame creating a resounding crack that reverberated through the control room.

As the TARDIS quaked, Adric leaped to the console and once again began pulling levers and switching switches, with the addition of pushing buttons.

"Adric, what are you doing?" Nyssa shouted over the loud vibrations of the TARDIS, clutching the railing to keep from falling.

"We need to land the TARDIS," explained Adric, working frantically. "If the Master knocks us out of the Time Vortex, we'll be lost forever."

Tegan, who had been staring with concern at the Doctor but had been unable to go to him due to the fierce vibrations, nervously jerked her head towards the boy. "Could that really happen?" Adric nodded tersely. "Then we must land immediately!"

"I know," muttered Adric gruffly, putting all of his strength into pulling down a stuck lever. Finally, with one last burst of strength, the lever released, sending Adric to the ground with a loud groan. The image of the Master faded as they exited the Time Vortex.

Suddenly the entire TARDIS shook hap-hazardously, sparks erupting from the console.

"What's happening?" Nyssa asked, her knuckles going white from clutching the railing so tight.

Adric shook his head gravely. "Something's wrong."

With a jarring smash, the TARDIS came to a stop. Smothering smoke billowed out of the console, filling the room. The Doctor deliriously stood up on wobbly legs, bracing himself against the door frame. "Ooh, we've landed!" Twirling on his heels, making his head spin dizzily, he grasped the door handle- against the objections of his three companions- and pushed.

The sight that greeted him was truly horrendous. In all of his years, he couldn't recall ever being as terrified as he was in that moment. There was a fiery red, redder than the fires of hell itself. There was the intense feeling of anger, thick betrayal in the air, with just a hint of excitement. And that nose...

The Ginger had her eyes tightly closed, a cocky smile on her face. "And what sort of time do you call this, Doct- Who the hell are you?"

**A/N: And that was chapter 1! I'm not sure if I got the Fifth Doctor's companions' characters right, I'm not use to writing them and I've only seen a few episodes. Could you give me some feedback on how I did and what I could improve? I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Chapter 2 is already written because I worked on it during my classes instead of doing my homework, naughty me! :D I'll try to update sometime this weekend!**

**Also, if you're interested(although I am quite boring) you could check out my blog which is at(ignore the spaces) ambers nameless . It contains random writing, a poem or two, and just basically my thoughts as I choose to tell them. I started it awhile ago and haven't really worked on it until now, so I'm going to start adding more posts to it when I get the chance. Perhaps even a Doctor Who one-shot or two in the future!**

**Please review! Cybersmoothie for reviewers!**

**Luv Trinaluv**


	3. Chapter 2

**Spoiler Alert: I make things up as I go along, so there is a large possibility that spoilers may appear. This chapter contains, I guess some spoilers for an episode from the Classic Series, "Castrovalva". But, really, SPOILER ALERT: Fourth Doctor regenerates into the Fifth Doctor. Never saw that one coming! :)**

**A/N: Salut! Hola! Hi! It's been a while, but I have finally gotten around to updating. Thanks to all who reviewed/favorited/followed this story! I will try to get around to replying to all my reviews when I get the chance, but right now I'm just going to focus on updating. :) I'm taking a break from my Fantasy/SciFi class to type up this chapter! And, just so everyone knows, this is not going to turn into an Amy/Doctor romance. It is simply friendship between all of them, including Rory. This story is basically just my excuse to cause whumpage to the Fifth Doctor, because I couldn't find many stories out there with Fifth DoctorWhump. So, Amy/Rory-cans, don't fret! I am-slightly- sticking to cannon! :)**

**Allons-y!**

_Old Friends and New Faces_

_By Trinaluv33_

_~Chapter 2~_

Amy's eyes lit up at the sight of the TARDIS. At first her emotions were only joy and excitement, but soon the feeling of anger and betrayal edged in, overwhelming all else. The Doctor had betrayed her, dropped her off, and left without a second look. For weeks she had waited, waited for her imaginary friend, her madman in the box, to come back and whisk her away on another crazy adventure. In the end, he never came.

With sorrow she reflected on their relationship. He found her by mistake, crashing into that old shed behind her childhood home, and now he has been returned to her by mistake, breaking another of her sheds in the process.

Her ginger temper taking control, she marched out of her kitchen to give her Raggedy Doctor a piece of her mind, dragging Rory behind her as she went.

Facing the dilapidated TARDIS, rain drops evaporating on moments of impact with its smoky exterior, Amy closed her eyes in trepidation. What if he comes out, realizes his mistake, and leaves her again? Could she handle the betrayal twice?

She felt a whoosh of air caress her face as the TARDIS door swung open. A smile snuck onto her face despite the anger she still felt.

"And what sort of time do you call this, Doct- who the hell are you?" The fair-haired man in front of her was definitely not her Doctor.

"I'm not quite sure yet. I'll get back to you when I find out," the Doctor's eyes rolled back into his head as his body finally gave into his exhaustion. He swayed forward, falling out of the TARDIS and landing on a few pieces of wet shed, which had been unfortunately demolished by the TARDIS's less-than-perfect landing.

Nurse-mode kicking into action, Rory ran forward and kneeled beside the unconscious man. His long blond hair was already matted to his forehead, soaked through with rain, and a large portion of his head was dripping red due to a particularly nasty head wound. Gently rolling the man onto his back, Rory was dismayed to find a small, jagged piece of wood lodged in his left leg, dark red blood sluggishly oozing out around the protruding object.

A young girl with wavy, dark brown hair peeked her head out the TARDIS door and cried out in dismay.

"Doctor!" Nyssa's eyes were drawn to the crimson blood staining the Doctor's trousers.

Any looked from the young girl to the unconscious man to Rory, with whom she shared a shocked look. This gravely-injured blond man couldn't be the Doctor, could he? Before she could question these strangers, the TARDIS began to vibrate and levitated off the ground. The girl fell backwards into the Time Machine. Accentuated with a loud clap of thunder and a streak of lightning across the darkened sky, the door slammed shut, and the TARDIS flew into the sky, disappearing from sight.

Amy looked questioningly to her husband. "What just happened?" Looking pointedly at the injured blond, she added, "That is _not _the Doctor."

Rory shrugged. "Whoever he is, he has a tremendous fever, and he won't stop trembling. We have to get him out of the rain."

Although she didn't trust the strange man, Amy helped Rory lift the blond, and the two practically dragged the water-logged man into the house.

With some quirk of luck, Rory and Amy managed to man-handle the stranger onto their couch. The Doctor moaned in distress when his head hit the stiff pillow.

"Watch him and make sure he doesn't roll off the couch," Rory said as he stood up, wiping his wet hands on his pants. "I'll be right back. I have to get the first-aid kit so that I can bandage his head and leg."

Left alone with the strange man, Amy sighed and crossed her arms. Who was this man? That girl had called him the Doctor, but she knew for a fact he wasn't. After all, she saw him die, with his floppy brown hair and wide chocolate eyes.

She sighed and brushed a strand of the man's wet hair out of his face, allowing her hand to rest on his forehead, which was radiating heat. He moaned in his sleep, head jerking harshly to the right.

He murmured deliriously in his sleep, sweat glistening on his forehead and his cheeks displaying a hint of red.

"Zero room... need... zero room..."

Rory appeared beside her, an array of medical tools bundled in his arms. Gently moving Amy aside, Rory kneeled beside the injured man. Taking an antiseptic wipe, he attempted to clean the man's head wound. There was dry blood matted in his hair, which contrasted sharply against his fair hair. After the head wound was cleaned as much as possible, Rory bandaged his head before moving down to take a look at his leg, a bloody shard of broken wood sticking into the air. Gently pressing around the wound, Rory was pleased to discover that the bone hadn't been broken, but he was sure there were a few torn muscles. He started to pull out the stake, but was interrupted as the man awoke, bolting upright and glancing around frantically. Seeing Rory, who had a scalpel in his hand with which he was going to take out the stake, the man panicked, jerking away and trying to get off the couch.

"Oi, calm down, blondie. We're just trying to help you," Amy tried to grab his arm but he jerked away again, spinning around so he was facing them with his arms held out in defense. Rory was still holding the scalpel. Amy rolled her eyes and slapped her husband's arm. Sheepishly, he dropped the frightening scalpel onto the floor.

"Please, just sit back down. We don't want to hurt you," Rory took a cautious step towards the frightened man, who only backed up further, colliding with their bookcase.

"Right. Who are you? No, nevermind that. Where am I? Or, better yet, when?" The Doctor rambled, sniffing the ornate bookcase that he had run into. "Ooo! Twenty-first century- oh, those were fun times... At least, I think so. I recall the feeling of liking the twenty-first century. Do you like the twenty-first century?" Amy and Rory stood speechless as the strange man went on to lick their bookcase, sending a shiver of disgust through the ginger. "Ew, yuck- Leadworth. Nothing ever happens in Leadworth." The Doctor wavered, a dizzy spell coming over him, and used the wall as support.

Rory made to help him, but the Doctor held up a finger in warning. "I don't think so. Now, what have you done with my TARDIS?"

Amy stared at the odd man incredulously, hands on her hips. "_Your_ TARDIS?"

"Yes, big blue thing. Goes whoosh, whoosh? Where have you taken her?"

Amy humphed and went to continue the argument, but Rory shushed her. This man, this strange, strange man, fell out of the sky in a TARDIS, the Doctor's TARDIS. He had first thought this man was just an imposter, for he looked nothing like their Doctor, but now he could see. Those eyes that were deep and full of passion, a spark of excitement waiting to ignite, young yet so, so old...

"Who are you?" Rory asked, looking for some truth in those light blue eyes.

The man adjusted his maroon robe. "I'm... well, I'm... I'm..." His brow creased in deep concentration, eyes red with exhaustion. "I... don't know." The man's eyes widened in pain and in horror. Surely, he must be someone? Or, maybe, he was no one, existing but not existing, was but wasn't. Who was he? It was on the tip of his tongue...

Rory worriedly glanced over the man. Perhaps he had under-estimated that head wound. Abruptly the man groaned, and fell to his knees, arms wrapped protectedly around his midsection. Both Amy and Rory started towards him, but were stunned as a golden energy burst from the man's lips, stealing his breath and causing his skin to pale.

"Wrong, very wrong," the man murmured, swaying forward. Amy acted fast and caught him by the shoulders to prevent him from pushing the stake deeper into his leg. Carefully she rolled him onto his back. His eyes were half-mast now, drooping lower and lower each second.

"Susan, help me... help me to the... the zero room. This regeneration... wrong, failing... please," The Doctor slipped into his subconscious, longing for the safety of his TARDIS and for the comfort of his true friends.

**A/N: I hoped you enjoyed chapter 2! I have no beta, so any errors are mine. Thanks for reading! Please review! (My cyberoven has cyberbroken, so all I have to offer you is some cybercocoa) :)**

**Luv Trinaluv**


	4. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Thanks to Sasha Star(AH NOT THE CYBERCOCOA! I'm not a good enough reason to waste good cocoa! I'm glad you're enjoy it. The Doctor's always licking things, so I though it would be fitting. :D) for reviewing, Super-taya for following, FantomoDrako(I think my mom's getting me the book for Christmas! :D Thanks for all your help with more info on the Doctor. I'm not too familiar with the Classic Who, although I've been trying to watch them all, but I can't find all of them online. I've watched quite a few of the Fifth Doctor's episodes, though. I absolutely ADORE him... which may seem hard to believe since I'm so enthusiastic about Fifth Doctor Whump... Anywho, thanks again for all the help!) for reviewing, Sin respuestas for following, steffon22 for following, potatozrule for following, and Supahninjagirl(Thanks! Here's your update! :D) for reviewing!**_

_**Enjoy the next chapter!**_

_Old Friends and New Faces_

_By Trinaluv33_

_~Chapter 3~_

Amy sat in a large chair, perched a few feet away from her couch, which was currently occupied by a very odd man, his fair blond hair matted to his head and Amy's TARDIS blue blanket tucked up to his chin. The man mumbled incoherently in his sleep, tossing his head restlessly as if caught in a horrible struggle. Amy hurried to his side, kneeling beside him. Brushing his hair to the side, she calmed him with softly whispered words of comfort.

Sighing, Amy pulled the blanket farther up the man's chest as small shivers embraced his thin frame. "Oh, what have you done to yourself, Doctor," she chuckled softly, smiling down at the unconscious man. "My Raggedy Doctor... or at least you used to be mine. How long has it been for you? Long enough to get a new face, I see. Which doesn't make much sense to me, seeing as you..." she shook her head sadly, barring the tears from coming. "I see you've got a new companion... She looks nice."

The Doctor moaned softly and tried to move onto his side but ended up giving up as a sharp pain erupted in his leg. After he had fallen unconscious again, Rory had been able to remove the stake in his leg and wrap it to stop the bleeding. His blue eyes blearily propped open, and he looked around him in a daze. His eyes landed on a blurry image of Amy.

"N'ssa?" His voice was very hoarse, and he shut his eyes tightly as his raw throat burned.

Amy stood up in concern, hand gently touching his shoulder, trying to ignore the way he flinched in fear. "I'll go get you a glass of water."

The Doctor listened as her footsteps receded into the kitchen. Cracking one eye open to make sure the room was clear, the Doctor carefully stood up, swaying momentarily as he put too much weight on his wounded leg. Steadying himself, the Doctor glanced around, feeling wary and slightly excited. As much as he loved exploring new places, he'd prefer it be under his own terms. He could still feel his link to the TARDIS, though it was weak, signifying the great distance between him and his precious ship.

Noticing the sliding glass doors in his peripheral, the Doctor decided it was time he get away from his captors and find where they stashed his TARDIS.

* * *

Rory bounced down the stairs, encircling his wife in a hug as she filled a glass with water. After he had finished tending to the Doctor's wounds, he had headed upstairs to change out of his wet clothes, leaving Amy to watch over the strange man. He knew this whole ordeal was taking a toll on Amy; she just got over the Doctor leaving them again, and now this man- supposedly the regenerated Doctor- shows up.

"How is he?" Rory asked, hoping to distract himself from the silently building anger towards the Doctor that was blossoming in his heart.

Amy shrugged. "As good as anyone can be in this kind of situation. He still has a fever, and yet he can't seem to stop shivering!"

Rory nodded knowingly. "His body thinks it's too cold, so he shivers constantly to try to increase his body temperature. We'll need to make sure his fever doesn't get too high."

Amy sighed, resting her head on her husband's shoulder, water glass forgotten by the sink. "I just... don't understand. We saw him die, Rory. _Our_ Doctor. But now here he is, with a brand new face... How could he have regenerated if we saw him die as our Doctor? Could he have survived and we just left him there? I mean, River said he was dead..."

"I guess we'll just have to wait until he's better to find out. We should go check on him and see how he's doing."

"Yeah, let's go. He's been waiting for some water for a while now. He's probably ready to get up and get his water himself, even if he has to hop on one leg to get here!" Amy exclaimed with a light laugh as they exited the kitchen.

Glass shattered, its many pieces reflecting on the floor, water bursting out of its dam and splattering on to the surrounding carpet. A TARDIS blue blanket lay forgotten on the floor. A chill wind made Amy shiver as she stood frozen in horror, a torrent of rain sneaking through the gap created by their half-opened sliding door.

Rory rushed to the door and glanced anxiously outside. He turned to his wife with a look of dismay. "He's gone!"

* * *

The Doctor shivered as he wandered through the small town of Leadworth. The extensive rain Leadworth had been trapped in had soaked his clothes and caused them to stick to his flesh. His drenched blond hair fell in front of his eyes and obscured his already blurring vision. The Doctor wrapped his arms protectively around his torso in an attempt to conserve what little body heat he had left. Although the freezing rain had aided the Time Lord in reducing his fever, he now faced the dangerous prospect of hypothermia.

Pausing under a tall street light, he rested as he soaked in the artificial heat radiating from the flickering light bulb. Sighing in exhaustion, he rested his head against the metal pole. The pounding in his head was incessant and seemed only to grow louder and more painful. He wasn't sure how much longer he could bare to go on. He just wanted to forget the world and sleep for a very long time, but there was so much interference, so many emotions screaming out to him. His leg was throbbing painfully and sending spikes of agony through the joint whenever he put too much weight on it. He didn't need to look down to know that the wound had started bleeding again. What he wouldn't give to be in his zero room, sleeping this poor excuse for a regeneration off until he could function without temporarily forgetting his own name every five minutes. Even though the sleepy town of Leadworth was generally simple, he sensed something very complex, just out of his reach. Someone in Leadworth was not what they seem...

Before the Doctor could ponder further on the subject, he spotted what looked like a kind old man waving him towards his home in a welcoming manner. Curious, the Doctor limped over, rubbing his arms to induce circulation.

"Son, you shouldn't be wandering through the streets on such a rainy night like this. Look at you! You're soaked to the bone!" The Doctor's teeth chattered as he stood at the foot of the home's steps. The old man took him by the arm and ushered him into his house. "Come in and get warm."

The Doctor hesitated at the threshold of the door. "I would-wouldn't w-want to b-be a bother."

"No, no. I insist. Can't have you freezing to death, Doctor."

The Doctor nodded absently and followed him in, relishing in the relief from the bitter cold rain. Something nagged at the back of his mind, but he couldn't seem to focus well enough. Something the man had said... He had said something, right? "How... How did you know my name?"

The old man smiled. "You are quite popular around here, Doctor."

Had he visited Leadworth before? He would've thought he'd remember being to an incredibly dull town like this... Probably wouldn't be the best thing to say to someone offering shelter, though. The Doctor cocked his head, smiling. "I am, am I? Hm..."

A wave of sudden dizziness overcame the Doctor, and he swayed dangerously, almost losing his balance. The old man caught his arm and kindly led him over to the couch.

"Rest, please. I think I might have some clothes that will fit you. We need to get you out of those damp clothes. Wouldn't want you to catch pneumonia! I'll be back as quick as I can. If you need anything or start to feel worse before I return, don't hesitate to call out- I'll just be upstairs."

The Doctor nodded tiredly, laying his head back on the old man's pillow. "What will I call you? You know my name, so it's only fair..."

The man smiled, nodding in agreement. "My name is Yana."

_**A/N: Thanks for reading! Twist? I think so. :) It should all make sense in later chapters. Worry not, all will be explained in due time. :D**_

_**Please review!**_

_**Luv Trinaluv**_


	5. Chapter 4

**_A/N: Hello and so, so sorry for the incredibly long delay! The reason had first been lack of time because of school, and then simply laziness, but it had soon spread into an annoying bout of writer's block and time taken by a new job. But, nonetheless, I come bringing good tidings and an update. Thank you to all who have reviewed/favorited/followed this story. It may not seem like it, but every little show of appreciation really helps, even when the Writer Block Apocalypse threatens to destroy me. If anything, it guilts me into updating. :D Anyway, on with the story! _**

_Old Friends and New Faces_

_By Trinaluv33_

_~Chapter 4~_

The Doctor was engulfed in treacherous flames, the fiery heat licking at him as he struggled to get away. The rational side of his mind tried to insist that there was no fire, but merely a fever that surged through his body. However, his weakened and disoriented mind was easily confused and, not unlike his normal personality, quite stubborn. The Time Lord tried to come back to reality, shaking the cobwebs from his mind. He tried to lever himself up, but ended up weakly falling back onto the couch, shivering slightly. His wet clothes weren't helping his condition at all. He couldn't tell how long the old man- _what did he say his name was?_- had been gone, but since then, the Doctor was hanging onto reality by a thread that threatened to snap in a moment's haste due to this cumbersome regeneration. His mind was trapped in a haze; he noticed a sharp pressure in his chest that threatened to steal his breath. At one point he must have rolled off of the couch, for he found himself tangled on the floor, feverish cheek resting against the cool wooden floor boards. He wanted to call out for the old man- _what __**was**__ his name? ANYA? NAYA? AYAN?_- but he couldn't summon enough energy to even whimper.

Floorboards creaked ominously, alerting the weakened Doctor to a new presence. A dark shadow fell over his prone body.

"Oh Doctor," Yana clucked in pity- or was it mockery? "You should have called for help!"

The Doctor's head rolled forward as the old man helped him back onto the couch. "S'rry… couldn't r-remember your n-name," he said between chattering teeth. His body burned with fever, but shivered from the presence of his annoyingly wet clothes.

Yana smiled kindly at the Doctor. "Those wet clothes must be deathly cold. I think I found an outfit that might fit you. I must warn you; it was from my cricket-playing days."

The Doctor smiled, imagining himself in a lively field of lush green grass, a sturdy cricket bat poised in his hands. "I imagine I'm quite good at cricket…"

"Are you now? Good, good!" Yana helped him up, handing a bundle of light clothes, a folded tan shirt with a question mark collar folded neatly at the top. Leading him to a guest room to change, Yana patted the Doctor on the shoulder. "You can change out of your wet clothes in here. Just leave them on the floor when you're done, and I'll get them dried for you. And remember, if you need any help, don't be afraid to call for me." He turned to leave but, upon seeing an embarrassed look on the young man's face, added with a chuckle, "My name's Yana." The Doctor, relieved, nodded and closed the door to change.

The Master pulled off his disguise and walked into the living room. An evil smirk snuck onto his face, a maniacal laugh filling the small room. "Oh, Doctor. The game has just begun." He replaced his sinister disguise and anxiously awaited the Doctor's return, eager for his beautiful plan to come to fruition, a sickly sweet smile plastered on his face and a devilish trap waiting to be sprung.

* * *

Amy huddled under Rory's umbrella as they wandered through the quaint town of Leadworth, searching desperately for the Doctor. She kept thinking back to when she first met the Time Lord. He had been going through regeneration then, too, but he didn't seem to be having as much trouble with his regeneration as this version was now. Of course, he did completely destroy her kitchen… but that was nothing compared to what she had seen concerning his recent regeneration. He was feverish, delirious…

_This regeneration… failing…_

Could his regeneration really be failing? She wondered worriedly what exactly that would mean for the Doctor- he couldn't die… could he? This Doctor may have a different face and personality, but he was still her Doctor, and she didn't want to lose him after she had finally just gotten him back. She refused to let that happen.

* * *

Rory groaned as he looked around the sleepy town of Leadworth- it may be small, but it was still large enough to hide the Doctor. He hated not knowing. As a nurse, the thought that the Doctor was alone and suffering from severe injuries nearly killed him. Yet, there was the dreadfully human part of him that thought the Doctor deserved this- for leaving Amy, for dropping her off like she was nothing, simply an old toy that the child-like Doctor no longer cared to play with. A small part of his mind wanted the Doctor to feel the pain Amy had felt as she waited each day for the Doctor to return.

That small part was overridden by the pure-hearted-Rory side, with his strong morals that refused to cause pain to anyone, good or bad. And the Doctor was good, so, so good- Rory was aware of that, even though his sympathy for Amy begged him to think otherwise. He could tell by the look in the Time Lord's eyes. Whenever the Doctor was unable to save an innocent, a deep sadness could be seen dulling his expression, and that deep sadness would weigh him down for days, sometimes even weeks, to come. The way the Doctor always tried to give the monster-esque bad guy another chance showed the desire to do good that resided in the Time Lord's hearts.

Rory knew the Doctor wasn't perfect- to be honest, no one was. Even Amy, the love of Rory's life and his bright and shining idol, had her flaws. It was the awareness of one's flaws along with the desire to overcome said flaws that made someone good; at least, that was Rory's opinion on life. At the moment, Rory's greatest flaw was his habit of being easily distracted, and that flaw might have jeopardized not only his patient's health, but also his treasured wife's unwavering trust.

A triumphant shriek from Amy roused Rory from his contemplation, and he hurried to follow the ginger as she raced towards a flickering street light. At first he was confused as to what an old lamp had to do with finding the Doctor, but as he neared Amy's object of fascination, it became painfully clear.

Around the bottom of the pole, swirling sluggishly in a growing puddle of water, lay dark drops of crimson slowly being washed away by the unending downpour. A few feet away, a similar red puddle could be seen. The pattern went on until it stopped at the steps of an unfamiliar dwelling, its windows dark with the shadows of the unknown.

_**A/N: And we have some progress, sort of... Thanks to those who've stuck with me all this time and continue to read my stories. I hope you leave a review on your way out, it really does help! **_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

_**Luv Trinaluv**_


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